Archives for February 4, 2009
Bill Gross: Great ideas for finding new energy
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 Child abuse
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 Thank’s, PZ, for totally ruining my day.
A most diabolical plot
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 This is why all religion should simply not be allowed. Even if the basic tenets of a religion are not too objectionable, its pieces … which consist of brainwashed people and the powerful ideas making up the framework of a culture … can be knitted together like household items into a pipe bomb or personal…
The Voyage of the Beagle
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 Of his time on the Beagle (1832 – 1836), Darwin wrote, “The voyage of the Beagle has been by far the most important event in my life and has determined my whole career.” Of the manuscript describing that voyage, he wrote, “The success of this my first literary child always tickles my vanity more than…
Ben Stein Shunned by Academy
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 And by “academy” I mean THE academy. Comedian, economist, speechwriter and game show host Ben Stein withdrew as speaker at the University of Vermont’s spring commencement ceremonies Monday after concerns arose about his opinions on evolutionary theory, intelligent design and the role of science in the Holocaust. UVM President Dan Fogel said people on and…
Neanderthal Genome Will Be Released
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 The complete genome of a Neanderthal dating to about 38,000 years ago has been sequenced by the team lead by Svante Paabo. The genome will be announced on Darwin’s Birthay, Feb 12. “We are working like crazy at the moment,” says Pääbo, adding that his Max Planck colleague, computational biologist Richard Green, is coordinating the…
On the blogosphere
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 A Buck Rogers Remake Where are the female senators? Largest Snake Evah!
School Prayer Case Being Heard in Federal Court
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 A Texas Law makes it easy for religious teachers and school administers to force kids to pray in public schools. Although this is said to be a “moment of silence” it is known that some school employees are explicit about this event being for prayer. One child was told to be quite and pray a…
US News and World Reports Screws The Pooch
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 With an absurd opinion piece by Henry Morris III. You can’t comment on the piece, so I’ll just tel lyou that it is in the current web edition of the paper and you can go dig it up if you want. (Blog policy: No logic, no links. Unless I feel like it.) Henry Morris is…
NCSE’s Branch on ID
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 Glenn Branch, of the NCSE, has written a wonderful piece in US News and World Report on Intelligent Design. It is here. I don’t know about you, but I’m writing a note to the editors of USNWR praising this piece.
Religious Cult Uses Secret Weapon Against Government
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 Teenager told to act like teenager when confronting government agents! A 14-year-old thought to be the youngest bride of jailed polygamist leader Warren Jeffs was advised through text messages to “please stay angry” and to “keep crying, pout, sleep in” in an attempt to manipulate Texas caseworkers, according to a report filed with a San…
Has the Octuplet Mom Cuckolded The White Folk?
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 I’ve always been annoyed at women giving birth to seven, eight kids at once. There are too many freakin’ people in the world, who do they think they are? But my annoyances is limited. Other people in the past seem to have been less annoyed, and instead of being miffed they reward these baby factories.…
Car bomb in Arkansas?
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 UPDATE: The chairman of the Arkansas State Medical Board was critically injured Wednesday when his car exploded as the family physician was leaving his home for work, the board attorney said. Board attorney William Trice said he believed Pierce drives a hybrid, but Trice had no information on what caused the explosion. He said he…
Did Triceratops fight with their faces?
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 Or, more accurately, did these dinosaurs either engage in intraspecific combat (such as territorial or mating contests among males) or fight predators such as Tyrannosaurs, like in the movies? Well, one thing we know for sure: If any folklore, belief, or ‘fact’ related to a fossil species sits around long enough, eventually someone will come…
How much is the world spending on neglected disease research and development?
Posted by Greg Laden on February 4, 2009 How much are we actually spending on the development of pharmaceutical tools to treat HIV/AIDS, TB, leichmaniasis, malaria and sleeping sickness? Today, PLoS Medicine Policy Forum asks this question. According to a press release from PLoS: The first comprehensive survey of global spending on neglected disease R&D, published in this week’s PLoS Medicine, finds that…
, which is now available for the 
